James Dobson Starts Rival Misistry to Compete With Focus on the Family

Even before he officially leaves Focus on the Family, James Dobson has vindictively started a rival organization and radio show with his son Ryan, who runs KOR World Ministries.

Focus on the Family is trying to put a happy spin on the situation, but we all know this is not good news for the long-time right wing behemoth.

“He has the chance to share his life’s work and passion with his only son,” Jim Daly, president and CEO of Focus, said in a statement congratulating Dobson on his new venture. “What man wouldn’t choose to do that?”

Focus on the Family has long been a cult of personality, based on the name recognition of James Dobson. Clearly, his move will siphon off many of this organization’s followers, potentially placing jobs at risk in a time of economic recession.

Focus on the Family already announced mass layoffs in Sept. 2009. Additionally, in a cost-cutting measure, the group recently pawned its “ex-gay” roadshow, Love Won Out, to Exodus International. How will Dobson’s move help Focus on the Family recover?

There are many ways to describe James Dobson, but “loyal” is clearly not one of them.

I predict that Dobson’s new venture will be even more hard core than Focus on the Family. He will have fewer constraints and will use it as a platform to spew anti-gay views and promote anachronistic ideas.

We had hoped to throw him a retirement party. I guess we can officially put away the confetti.

About the Author

Wayne Besen is the Founding Executive Director of Truth Wins Out and author of “Anything But Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth” (Haworth, 2003). In 2010, Besen was awarded the “Visionary Award” at the Out Music Awards for organizing the American Prayer Hour, an event which shined a spotlight on the role American evangelicals played in the introduction of Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill.

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9 Comments

Wayne is right: as soon as he opens his mouth, dobson will begin syndicating radio hate-speech all around the world — all in the name of christ :D prrrraise jeHEEEsus! and as uganda is teaching us: if we don’t stop them – THE CHRISTIANS WILL DESTROY THE EARTH!!! (to paraphrase the holy pastor… uh, I mean, non-professional personality…)

MerlynJanuary 6, 2010 at 3:50 am -

I figured the retirement bit was just a smoke screen. Yeah it is past time to start working on putting these people in their place. Fundamentalists of ANY religion are nutters and need to be tightly controlled so as to not be a menace to society. I am sick to death of their hate and prejudice. I don’t give a damn if they feel “persecuted”–as they so often like to say of those THEY persecute, “They brought it on themselves”.

There have to be rational limits on free speech–and when anyone advocates the death of another, time to put on the hammerlocks.

KimJanuary 7, 2010 at 1:40 am -

Meryln – I couldn’t help but notice your insensitive statement towards Christians who truly suffer in persecution for their faith, even when some are trying to live their lives peacefully. Haven’t we all been granted the freedom to choose how we want to live and who to believe in this country?….

What is your definition of a “fundamentalist” who needs to be “tightly controlled”?

You’re not saying that just because the way these people think or behave, they deserve to be persecuted just because you don’t agree with them… or are you? What happened to justice and equality for everyone?…

adrianTJanuary 7, 2010 at 5:49 am -

The things that wind self proclaimed ‘persecuted’ religious fundamentalists up are so funny, you could draw a cartoon about it.

Kim, it depends on what you mean by “persecution.” Christians aren’t “persecuted” in the West. They occasionally have to deal with the terrors of hearing viewpoints that they don’t agree with/aren’t able to argue with based on facts, and the fact that more and more people every year think they’re wrong, and they occasionally don’t get treated like little princes and princesses when it comes to dictating how American society works, but they’re not “persecuted,” by any rational definition of the word.

Priya LynnJanuary 7, 2010 at 12:46 pm -

Kim, Christians claim they’re being persecuted when they aren’t allowed to deprive gays of equal rights. That’s why such people are loathed amongst the people who long for justice.

WilliamJanuary 9, 2010 at 5:14 pm -

Why am I not surprised ? Another right wing theocrat whose concept of ethics puts values like loyalty, integrity and honesty second to getting his ego fed and his pocket book filled. One of the reasons folks like Dobson work so well with financial conservatives is that beneath the surface they value the same things: money, fame, ego and power.

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